Read the Printed Word

We support the printed word in all its forms: newspapers, magazines and, of course, books. We think reading on computers or phones or whatever is fine, but it cannot replace the experience of reading words printed on paper. We pledge to continue reading the printed word in the digital era and beyond.

*looks to the right* Oh, I am currently reading an eBook as well. Erm… so what does that make me?

Look guys, supporting the printed word does not necessarily mean completely shunning the digital libraries. It simply means that you support actual books even during the onset of the digital age. I admit, I was hesitant to try out e-books when it first came out. Reading on my desktop or laptop for extended periods of time did not sound appealing. I still frequented my local used book stores, looking for deals and steals.

To be honest, I never read a full e-book until I got my Barnes & Noble nook a year ago. And I am not going to lie, I love it. Even my mom reads stuff on it. But did that stop me from buying hard copies? No. And upon playing the Good Reads First Reads Giveaway, I get free books! Provided I win, of course. My shelf looks more stocked now than before I got my nook.

Yes, there are pros and cons for both parties. Personally, I do not always have the money to spare for a book. $23 full price? I don’t think so. Thank goodness for used bookstores and the nifty Amazon.com (some go for as low as $0.01 a piece). E-books are considerably cheaper and more portable. But then again, some go for $10 and up. For that price, I can get a hard copy mass market paperback. Some people, myself included, love being able to feel how many more pages they have left before finishing a book. Yeah, seeing page numbers and percentages is not the same. And I know a lot of you out there LOVE the smell of books. Sure e-Readers have the capability to highlight and bookmark passages on e-Books but I do not think anything can beat the highlighter (in my case, the dermatograph) gliding across a page.

This looks like books have e-books beat. The nostalgia factor alone is overwhelming. But no, I don’t think so. In this day and age, we need to have a certain level of practicality. Books take up space and some of us do not have a lot of that. I have touched upon the money issue as well. E-Readers are lighter than some books and it gives you the option of loading a month’s, even year’s worth of reads without sacrificing the portability. Believe me, an e-Reader is a worthwhile investment. Whether you get an iPad, a Kindle, a nook, a Kobo, a Literati, or a Sony e-Reader — it is really useful to have one. Think about it.

So you see, you can be a book reader without being an e-book snob. And for you e-book lovers out there, there will always be enough space on your shelf for actual books.

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One thought on “Read the Printed Word”

I agree! I have brought most of my paperbacks to Half Price Books but I have kept some of my favorite books for my bookshelf especially if they are in hardcover or all match. It is nice to flip pages in a book every now and then.